Biography

Tibor Grasser

My first passion was boogie woogie and I spent more than eighteen years playing across Europe — Germany, France, Switzerland, Hungary, the UK, and at home in Austria: the Konzerthaus, Brucknerhaus, Metropol, Starclub, Jazzland, Bösendorfer Hall, Yamaha Hall and others. I also released two CDs on Document Records.

From 2008 my life took a different focus. I used those years to take my jazz playing further — now with a lot of stride and swing and a sprinkle of bebop, but always with a focus on melodic development and a strong sense of rhythm.

How I play today, and why jazz, blues and boogie belong together for me, is on the music page.

1978
Begin of classical piano training
1987
First exposure to boogie woogie: Boogie Woogie Session '76 with Hans Georg Möller, Axel Zwingenberger and Martin Pyrker
1988
Attended first boogie woogie concert at Jazzland, Axel Zwingenberger. Wow! That's it!
1989
Begin of boogie and jazz lessons with Hannes Otahal
1990
“Boogie for Africa”, Metropol, Vienna — first public appearance
1992
First concert at the Jazzland, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker and Hannes Otahal
1993
Television portrait in “Meister von Morgen” (ORF)
Starclub, Vienna — with Axel Zwingenberger, Martin Pyrker and Günther Straub
Jazzland, Vienna — twice with Martin Pyrker, the second time also with Michael Strasser
1994
“Stars of Boogie Woogie”, Brucknerhaus, Linz — with Martin Pyrker, Axel Zwingenberger and Thorsten Zwingenberger
Starclub, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker, Frank Muschalle and Günther Straub
Bierfink, Vienna — with Vince Weber
Jazzland, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker and Michael Strasser
Maritim, Stuttgart — with Martin Pyrker and Frank Muschalle
“Martin Pyrker’s 40th”, Marchtrenk — with Martin Pyrker, Axel Zwingenberger, Frank Muschalle, Al Cook and others
Kulturhaus, Liezen — with Martin Pyrker
1995
First CD Great Boogie Woogie News with Frank Muschalle (p), Martin Pyrker (p), Daniel Gugolz (b) and Peter Müller (dr) released on Document Records; presented at the Starclub, Vienna
CD presentation, “Greif”, Wels
Starclub, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker, Martin Pewny and Christian Dozzler
Jazzland, Vienna — twice with Martin Pyrker, the second time also with Henning Pertiet, Daniel Gugolz and Peter Müller
German tour — with Martin Pyrker and Frank Muschalle
1996
“Les nuits de Boogie Woogie”, Paris — with Axel Zwingenberger, Jean-Pierre Bertrand, Jean-Paul Amouroux and others
“Lange Nacht des Boogie Woogie”, Fabrik, Hamburg — with Axel Zwingenberger, Vince Weber, Frank Muschalle and many others
Bösendorfer Hall, Vienna — with Frank Muschalle and Henning Pertiet
Jazzland, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker and Frank Muschalle
German tour (Bünde, Münster, Nürnberg and others) — with Martin Pyrker, Frank Muschalle and Axel Zwingenberger
1997
Television appearance on “Willkommen Österreich” (ORF) — with Hannes Otahal
“Stars of Boogie Woogie”, Konzerthaus, Vienna — with Axel Zwingenberger, Frank Muschalle and the Mojo Blues Band
Jazzfest Wien
Jazzfestival Lenk, Switzerland — with Frank Muschalle
Hotel Dorint, Münster — with Martin Pyrker, Frank Muschalle and Christian Bleiming
1998
Second CD Kansas City Bounce with Daniel Gugolz (b) and Peter Müller (dr) released on Document Records; presented at the Bösendorfer Hall
Bluesfestival Luzern, Switzerland — with Frank Muschalle
“Boogie Woogie Feuerwerk”, Metropol, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker, Axel Zwingenberger, Frank Muschalle, Daniel Gugolz and Peter Müller
Jazzland, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker
“10th Boogie Woogie Session”, Bürgerhaus, Münster — with Martin Pyrker, Frank Muschalle, Basse Seidelin and Dirk Engelmeyer
1999
Starclub Kongreßsaal, Vienna — with Axel Zwingenberger and Frank Muschalle
2000
Jazzland, Vienna — with Daniel Gugolz, Peter Müller, Daniel Ecklbauer and Wolfgang Pöll
2001
“An zwei Flügeln”, Haus der Begegnung Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus, Vienna — with Axel Zwingenberger
Jazzland, Vienna — once with Martin Pyrker, once with Daniel Ecklbauer and Wolfgang Pöll
Bösendorfer Hall, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker
“The Boogie Woogie Piano Night”, Kubinsaal, Schärding — with Martin Pyrker, at two grands
“Blues & Boogie Night”, Meierhof, Pöttsching — with Martin Pyrker and others
2002
Staudacher Musikbühne, Chiemgau — with Frank Muschalle, Daniel Gugolz and Peter Müller
Jazzland, Vienna — Tibor Grasser Trio with Markus Toyfl, Petra Toyfl, Daniel Gugolz and Peter Müller
“International Blues & Boogie Festival”, Yamaha Hall, Vienna — with the Frank Muschalle Trio and Rusty Zinn (USA)
Bösendorfer Hall, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker
Schutzhaus Zukunft Schmelz, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker, Sabine Pyrker, Daniel Gugolz, Peter Müller and Markus Toyfl
“2nd Schl8hof Blues Festival”, Alter Schlachthof, Wels — with Martin Pyrker, Sabine Pyrker, Vince Weber, Günther Straub and others
2003
12th International “Bohém” Ragtime & Jazz Festival, Kecskemét, Hungary
“An zwei Flügeln”, Yamaha Hall, Vienna — with Frank Muschalle, Markus Toyfl, Daniel Gugolz and Peter Müller
Haus der Begegnung Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus, Vienna — with Axel Zwingenberger and the Tibor Grasser Trio feat. Petra and Markus Toyfl
Kulturzentrum Alfa Steyrermühl, Laakirchen — opening night, with Martin Pyrker, Sabine Pyrker, Axel Zwingenberger and Simon Raab
Schutzhaus Zukunft Schmelz, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker, Sabine Pyrker, Petra Toyfl, Peter Müller, Markus Toyfl and Daniel Gugolz
2004
Yamaha Hall, Vienna — with Martin and Sabine Pyrker
Boogie woogie festival, Jazzland, Vienna — with Sabine and Martin Pyrker, including a DVD presentation
BAWAG gala, Vienna
2005
Haus der Begegnung Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus, Vienna — part of the Wiener Bezirksfestwochen
2007
Haus der Begegnung Liesing, Vienna — with Frank Muschalle, Andreas Sobczyk, Daniel Gugolz and Peter Müller
2008
“Buch am Zug”, Ringstraße tram line 1, Vienna — with Andreas Sobczyk, Peter Müller and Petra Toyfl
“Boogie for Africa”, Metropol, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker, Sabine Pyrker, Erik Trauner, Günther Straub and others; eighteen years after the first appearance at the same place
2023
Comeback: “Blues & Boogie Night”, Jazzland, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker and Sabine Pyrker
2024
Jazzland, Vienna — with Martin Pyrker and Sabine Pyrker
2025
Tour “Then & Now — Blues, Boogie Woogie & Swing of the 1920s to 1950s” with Henning Pertiet: Soltau (Bibliothek Waldmühle), Wietze (Büchtmannshof) and Hoya (Kulturzentrum Martinskirche)